Internet Press Chat Conference 27 October 2005

Governmental consultations between Japan and DPRK, and 2 plus 2 meeting in USA

Suicide bombing in Hadera in Central Israel

Approval of the draft constitution of Iraq by the national referendum

Airplane accident in the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Adoption of Japan's Draft Resolution on Small Arms and Light Weapons at the First Committee and the Draft Resolution on Nuclear Disarmament Submitted by Japan to the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly

Adoption of the statement of the President of the UN Security Council concerning the start of status talks on Kosovo

Visit to Japan by Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis of the Hellenic Republic

Ninth meeting and workshop of the Japanese-Austrian Committee for the 21st Century

First meeting of the Joint Governmental Study for Strengthening Economic Relations between Japan and Switzerland

Emergency assistance in response to the avian influenza epidemic in Indonesia

Dispatch of Japan's election observers for the Presidential and Parliamentary elections in the United Republic of Tanzania

Questions concerning visit to Japan by Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-Moon of the Republic of Korea (ROK)

Question concerning visit to Japan by Minister of Public Works Nasreen Mustafa Sadiq Barwari of Iraq

Question concerning Japan-People's Republic of China summit meetings

Governmental consultations between Japan and DPRK, and 2 plus 2 meeting in USA

Deputy Press Secretary Tomohiko Taniguchi: The first announcement is about governmental consultations between Japan and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and 2 plus 2 meeting in the United States of America (USA).

I wish to announce that the Governments of Japan and the DPRK have agreed to hold governmental consultations in Beijing from Thursday, 3 November. As you are aware, it has been agreed in the fourth round of the Six-Party Talks that the consultations of this kind should be held. There have been correspondences between the working levels of both sides, but I am announcing it as we have reached an agreement.

In the consultations, the Japanese side will be headed by Deputy Director-General for Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Akitaka Saiki of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the North Korean side will be headed by Deputy Director-General Son Ilho of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK.

Minister for Foreign Affairs MACHIMURA Nobutaka will visit Washington DC to hold the Japan-US Security Consultative Committee (the 2 plus 2 meeting). In the Meeting, the following two points in addition to the Common Strategic Objectives agreed last February will be discussed: firstly, the roles, missions, and capability that Japan and the US should fulfill, and secondly, the outline of the realigned US Forces.

Mr. Taniguchi: Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations Yoshinori Katori of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued today the announcement stating "Japan strongly condemns the suicide bombing by a Palestinian extremist which occurred on 26 October in Hadera in central Israel. Terrorism cannot be justified for any reason. Japan expresses its condolences to the bereaved families as well as deepest sympathy for the many who were injured. This act of terrorism comes at a time when both Israelis and Palestinians are making sincere efforts to achieve peace following the completion of Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank."

Mr. Taniguchi: On Tuesday, 25 October, the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq announced that the draft constitution was approved by the national referendum on 15 October. Japan welcomes this as it represents a highly important step in the development of Iraq's political process.

With this approval of the draft constitution, the National Assembly election is now scheduled to be held on 15 December, which will result in the establishment of a new government. Japan hopes that the political process, including the upcoming National Assembly election, will proceed with harmonious coordination among religious and ethnic groups.

Mr. Taniguchi: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the announcement dated 26 October, stating "Mr. Yoshinori Katori, Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, feels deep sorrow at the loss of precious lives amounting to 117 in the airplane crash which occurred in Nigeria in the night of Saturday, 22 October. Japan expresses condolences for those who died in the accident and sympathy to their bereaved families."

Adoption of Japan's Draft Resolution on Small Arms and Light Weapons at the First Committee and the Draft Resolution on Nuclear Disarmament Submitted by Japan to the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly

Mr. Taniguchi: The Government of Japan welcomes and highly values the fact that a draft resolution concerning illicit trade in small arms and light weapons jointly submitted by Japan, the Republic of Colombia, and the Republic of South Africa was adopted by consensus at the first committee of the United Nations (United Nations) General Assembly on Wednesday, 26 October (Japan time: Thursday, 27 October in New York.

The Government of Japan welcomes and highly values the fact that its draft resolution on nuclear disarmament "Renewed determination towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons" was adopted, at the First Committee Meeting of the UN General Assembly on 27 October Japan time (New York time: 26 October), by an overwhelming majority with support from the largest number of countries since 1994 when Japan began submitting its resolution on nuclear disarmament to the UN General Assembly.

Adoption of the statement of the President of the UN Security Council concerning the start of status talks on Kosovo

Mr. Taniguchi: Japan welcomes the fact that on Monday, 24 October (local time) the President of the UN Security Council issued a statement on Kosovo and that the political process concerning Kosovo's future status was to begin. Japan hopes that the interested parties, Kosovo's leaders and the Serbian authorities in particular, will give comprehensive cooperation to an envoy for talks who will soon be appointed by the UN Secretary-General, and take a forward-looking stance on the process of talks that will determine Kosovo's future status.

Visit to Japan by Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis of the Hellenic Republic

Mr. Taniguchi: Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis of the Hellenic Republic will pay a working visit to Japan from 10 to 13 November. Prime Minister Karamanlis will be accompanied by his wife and Minister of Foreign Affairs Petros Molyviatis. This will be the first visit to Japan for Prime Minister Karamanlis and the second by a Greek prime minister since then Prime Minister Constantinos Simitis visited Japan three years ago.

Ninth meeting and workshop of the Japanese-Austrian Committee for the 21st Century

Mr. Taniguchi: The ninth meeting of the Japanese-Austrian Committee for the 21st Century will be held in Tokyo (Mita Kaigisho) on Monday, 31 October.

At the ninth meeting, it is expected that the two sides will exchange opinions on the themes of "Europe in the future: Prospects for Japan-EU relations" and "Central and Eastern Europe and the West Balkans: New frontier of Japan-Austria cooperation."

Participants on the Japanese side will be Mr. Yoshio Ishizaka, Senior Advisor to the Board of Toyota Motor Corporation (Japanese Chair), Ms. Sahoko Kaji, Professor at Keio University, Mr. Kazuhisa Shin, Special Advisor to All Nippon Airways, Mr. Hideya Taida, Executive Director of the Japan Foundation, and officials concerned from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Participants on the Austrian side will be Mr. Gerhart Bruckmann, former member of the National Council (Austrian Chair), Mr. Max Kothbauer, former General Manager and Chairman of the Managing Board of the Postal Savings Bank, Mr. Hanspeter Neuhold, Professor at University of Vienna, and officials concerned from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Federal Economic Chamber.

The workshop of the Japanese-Austrian Committee for the 21st Century will be held in Tokyo (Mita Kaigisho) on Tuesday, 1 November.

The Members of the Japanese-Austrian Committee for the 21st Century will also participate in the workshop, which will be attended by experts from academic circles and others. Under the theme of "Deepening of regional cooperation in East Asia and the experience of Europe," participants are expected to discuss such topics as what East Asia can learn from the European experience, amid the deepening regional cooperation in East Asia. The discussions will cover a wide range of aspects, including political, economic, security, and cultural aspects.

First meeting of the Joint Governmental Study for Strengthening Economic Relations between Japan and Switzerland

Mr. Taniguchi: The first meeting of the Joint Governmental Study for strengthening economic relations between Japan and Switzerland will be held in Tokyo (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) on 31 October and 1 November 2005.

At the meeting, there will be discussions on the scope of the Joint Governmental Study, analysis of the current bilateral trends of trade and investment between the two countries, as well as the presentation of and discussion on the results of the respective studies conducted by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

The launch of the Joint Governmental Study was agreed upon at the Summit Meeting between the Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and the President Samuel Schmid of the Swiss Confederation in April 2005.

Emergency assistance in response to the avian influenza epidemic in Indonesia

Mr. Taniguchi: Japan has decided to provide medical equipment (testing kits for laboratories, diagnostic equipment, and reagent) worth 25 million yen in total, including the transportation cost, based on the report by a survey team dispatched in September in response to the avian influenza epidemic upon the request of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia. The equipment, to be transported to Indonesia on 25 October, will be handed over to the Government of Indonesia immediately after arriving there.

Mr. Taniguchi: In view of the tremendous damage that the major earthquake off the coast of Sumatra and the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in December 2004 inflicted on Indonesia, a Paris Club meeting, a conference of creditor countries, was held in May 2005 to discuss the provision of debt relief for Indonesia. At the conference, Indonesia and the creditor countries agreed on the outline of a payment plan aimed at debt relief which features a moratorium on the payment of a portion of the debt held by Indonesia. Under this agreement, the Government of Japan has been negotiating with the Government of Indonesia on the debt relief measures (method of debt payment moratorium) Japan will extend to the Government of Indonesia, and both sides have reached an agreement on the details of the conditions for deferral, including accrued interest rates. Notes to this effect were exchanged on Wednesday, 26 October in Jakarta, between Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Yutaka Iimura and Director General of Asia Pacific and Africa Herijanto Soeprapto of the Department of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia.

The detailed amounts of the debt relief measures concerning the method of debt payment moratorium are as follows:

Dispatch of Japan's election observers for the Presidential and Parliamentary elections in the United Republic of Tanzania

Mr. Taniguchi: The Government of Japan has decided to dispatch three officials of the Japanese Embassy in the United Republic of Tanzania to join the international election observers for Tanzania's Presidential and Parliamentary elections scheduled for Sunday, 30 October.

These elections will be the third since a multi-party system was introduced in 1992 and have an important meaning in promoting democratization and establishing good governance in Tanzania and will be observed by a group of international election observers mainly coordinated by the local office of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in response to a request of the National Electoral Commission of Tanzania. The Japanese observers will join the group.

The Government of Japan has already donated about 44 million yen to Tanzania as a Funding Contribution to the Permanent National Voters' Register by purchasing materials for register cards prepared for about 16 million eligible voters in that country.

Questions concerning visit to Japan by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-Moon of the Republic of Korea (ROK)

Q: Later in the day Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-Moon of the Republic of Korea (ROK) will meet with Foreign Minister MACHIMURA. How does Japan's Foreign Ministry view this visit by Minister Ban to Japan when ties between the nations are shaky in light of the Yasukuni Shrine row? Is the visit seen by the Ministry as a way to improve ties?

Mr. Taniguchi: I would be happy to answer your question. Minister Ban's visit had long been scheduled, of which the aim is for both Japan and the ROK to exchange views in the run-up to the upcoming Six-Party Talks and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings scheduled next month in the ROK. I am not necessarily looking at his visit solely in the context that you suggested.

Q: Sir, when you say "solely" in the context that I suggested, that would mean that improving the two nations' strained ties is not solely the aim but nevertheless, also part of the aims in the nations foreign ministers' talks? There have been media reports that during the visit they are also expected to discuss ROK's call for a new war memorial and Minister Ban will express his regret over the shrine visit. May I ask your confirmation on these reports?

Mr. Taniguchi: We are always open to any topics and issues that the ROK side wishes to raise. I am not in a position to confirm at this time what the ROK side has in mind. We do not want good relations between the two nations strained solely by the Prime Minister Koizumi's visit to the shrine.

Q: What kind of topics does Japan wish to raise in the meeting with Minister Ban Ki-Moon?

Mr. Taniguchi: Minister Ban has not arrived yet. I cannot tell you the content of the discussions, of course, but as I said the meeting had been scheduled to exchange our views on such issues as the Six-Party Talks and the APEC meetings. There are still more issues the Japanese side wants to discuss with Minister Ban because we are headed for a very hectic diplomatic season, you may recall there will be the East Asia Summit Meeting in December, the World Trade Organization (WTO) Process is heating up as well, and we look forward to coordinating efforts with the ROK, based on a future-oriented relationship of friendship and cooperation.

Question concerning visit to Japan by Minister of Public Works Nasreen Mustafa Sadiq Barwari of Iraq

Q: Good afternoon, Mr. Taniguchi. Let me ask about the visit of Minister of Public Works Nasreen Mustafa Sadiq Barwari of Iraq to Japan. She requested Foreign Minister MACHIMURA on 24 October to extend the mission of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) in Samawah. May I know how long she wants the mission to be extended, if she mentioned? As a minister in charge of public works, did she specify any projects or reconstruction assistance which the Iraqi people urgently need at the moment?

Mr. Taniguchi: As you say, she expressed gratitude to Japan for maintaining SDF personnel for humanitarian support in Samawah. Specifically she mentioned as minister in charge of municipal governments, she has been hearing a lot from those regional bodies about how much the presence of the SDF has been appreciated. Yet she did not specify how long she wants the SDF personnel to remain there. She handed a list of requests to the Japanese Government about what sort of projects she wants to have supported by Japanese official development assistance (ODA). The content cannot be disclosed at this moment.

Q: The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said on 25 October that holding a summit meeting between Japan and the People's Republic of China in the near future is difficult because of Prime Minister Koizumi's visits to Yasukuni Shrine. Does the Japanese side hope to hold Sino-Japanese summits during the APEC forum in November?

Mr. Taniguchi: The schedule during the summit meetings has not been decided yet. The Japanese side has always maintained that both sides meet as many times as possible to strengthen dialogue in a future-oriented broader perspective. I would like to refrain from giving specific comments on correspondence between Beijing and Tokyo.